Jon Polish wrote:

Andy, I think Scrivener is doing exactly the same thing. The "lifetime"
deal is for version 3, so if you want to upgrade to 4, you pay for the
new version.

At least that is how I am reading it.

Looking at it again, I think you are probably right. It is 'lifehacker' who are being (either deliberately or unntentionally) sloppy in their use of language, by calling it a 'lifetime subscription'. They should have called it a perpetual licence for v3.